Game apparatus.



No. 759,186. PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

J. A. MQKENZIE.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 11113.26, 1903.

I I v v Am; VIII/4m a WITNESSES INVEIVCTOI? r/afyiflflfiiizzze Arm/m5 s Patented May 3, 1904.

NI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. MoKENZIE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 759,186, dated May 3, 1904.

Original application filed August 15, 1902, Serial No. 119,702. Divided and this application filed March 26, 1903. Serial N0.149,625. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A. MoKnNzIn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved game apparatus whereby the game of tenpins may be played on a table in a parlor or other room of a dwelling or in saloons, cafes, or similar places by means of a ball and one, a further object being to provide an improved game apparatus of the class specified by means of which a game similar in all respects to the ordinary game of tenpins with the exception that it is played by means of a ball and one may be played in any room or compartment; and with these and other objects in view the invention consists in a game apparatus constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

This application is a division of another ap plication filed by me August 15, 1902, Serial No. 119,702.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved game apparatus; Fig. 2, a side view thereof; Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4:, a sectional view of a detail of the construction, and Fig. 5 a plan view of another detail of the construction.

In the practice of my invention I provide a table a, which is preferably oblong and rectangular in form and which may be of any desired length and which is provided with raised side strips a? and similar raised end portions or strips a, and the distance between the end strips or pieces a" is preferably about fifteen feet, and the width between the side pieces or strips c is preferably about twenty inches, and at each side of the table and adjacent to the pieces or strips a and inside thereof are ball-races a, which are preferably about eleven feet long, and between the races a is an alley-way c At the front end of the table is a space a, the top surface of which is flush with the top surface of the alley-way, and at the rear or back end of the table is a pit of, adapted to receive the pins Z) in the usual manner. The table a, which forms the alley-way proper and at the sides of which are the strips or pieces of, is preferably supported by a board, plate, or frame c, which is also preferably a little wider than said table, and at the rear end of the alley-way a is placed a transverse vertical and rectangular frame CZ, the sides of which form legs d to support the table, and other legs or supports, 0, are provided at the front end of said table. In the form of construction shown the sides of the frame (Z pass downwardly through the outer edges of the board, frame, or support 0, and mounted therein is a vertically-movable sash f, the side portions of which at the top are connected by a transverse member to the bottom of which is secured a pin form or spotter .01 which is provided with a plurality of vertical openings g", which are circular in form and the diameter of which is slightly greater than the greatest diameter of the pins 6. The pin form or spotter gis preferably of considerable thickness, and the object of this device is to provide means to facilitate the placing of the pins 7) in their proper positions, and it will be observed that ten of the pins 7) are employed, as in the ordinary game of tenpins, and the holes or openings g in the form or spotter g are sufliciently large in diameter to enable said pins to pass freely therethrough and at the same time insure the placing of the pins directly in their proper position, and by having said form or spotter of considerable thickness or vertical depth the larger portions of the body of said pins substantially fill the holes or openings g and thus insure the proper placing of the pins.

Secured to the bottom portion of the sash f passed over another pulley, it and the end thereof is provided with a weight a, and said weight is intended to exactly counterbalance the sash f in any position in which it may be placed, and the pulleys, 7L and b may be given suflicient friction to properly accomplish this result, and the movement of the sash f, as hereinafter described, may be accomplished by hand or in any other desired manner.

I- have also shown at j in Fig. 1 a ball similar to an ordinary billard-ball and at k the end of a cue, and the operation of the apparatus will be understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following statement thereof: Whenever it is desired to play the game, the sash f is lowered, so that it rests directly on the rear end of the alley-way, as shown in Fig. 4, or in close proximity thereto, as shown in Fig. 3. The pins 6 are then placed in position, as shown, after which the sash f is raised into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and dotted lines in Fig. 3. The player is then free to strike the ball 1', and it will be understood that this ball may be placed at any desired point transversely of the alley, and the cue is manipulated in the same manner as in a game of pool or billards, and the counting of the game is done in the same manner as an ordinary game of tenpins.

It will be understood, of course, that a boy may manipulate the sash f and may place the pins, and my invention is in no way limited to the means herein shown and described for holding the sash in a raised position, and any suitable means mechanically or otherwise may be provided for raising and lowering said sash and for holding it in any desired position, all that is necessary in this case being to provide a pin form or spotter in which the pins are placed while the form or spotter is held on or adjacent to the rear end of the alley-way and through which the pins will pass Without being disturbed as the form or spotter is raised. By mea'ns of this device the pins may be exactly placed with absolute precision and regularity and without the exercise of any care or skill, and they can also be much more rapidly placed in position than would be possible without the use of the form or spotter.

Although I have described my invention as applicable to tables or similar devices used in parlors or other rooms or compartments or in cafes, restaurants, saloons, &c., it will be evident that the said improvement may be applied to ordinary tenpin-alleys as now constructed without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages, and I reserve the right to make all such alterations in and modifications of the construction herein described as fairly come within the scope of the invention;

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a tenpin game apparatus, a vertical frame arranged over the pin-space, a vertically-movable pin form or spotter mountedtherein and adapted to rest on or closely adjacent to the pin-space, said form of spotter being provided with openings of fixed dimensions through which the pins are loosely passed in the operation of spotting the same and which are slightly greater in diameter than the greatest diameter of said pins, and means whereby the spotter may be raised and supported above the pins when the latter have been placed in position therethrough, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this th day of March, 1903.

JOSEPH A. MCKENZIE.

Witnesses:

J. O. LARSEN, F. A. STEWART. 

